list.in.to.chicago this week: 07.20.2009

Some of you may know this, but former Q101 DJ James Van Osdol is trying to self-publish his book on the Chicago music scene of the 1990s, and is trying to raise money in order to do so. If you want to contribute, go to http://tinyurl.com/JVOchicagorocked

Now, on to the shows!

Pick of the week
The two standouts this week are Adrian Belew at Martyrs' on Wednesday, and Elbow opening for Coldplay at Alpine Valley on Saturday. Unfortunately, I'm busy both those nights, so if there's one show I'm actually likely to go see this week, it's probably The Dials on Friday at Double Door.

list.in.to.COZ
The reason I'm busy both Wednesday and Saturday is that I've got gigs with Diver on both of those nights. Both are at Fado, they're electric and acoustic, respectively, and we actually have Avi back on bass for the gig on Wednesday.

Recap
Nothing to report other than the Diver gigs, which went about the same as most. Cullen's took a while to hit critical mass, but things picked up by the third set when the crowd finally decided to show up. Saturday at Fado has some weird tuning issues, but we got past them. And I'm pretty sure we had a season-high on the number of bachelorette parties that came through the bar over the course of the night.

7.20   monday
Patricia Barber Quartet (Green Mill)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
I'm going to assume Chris Siebold is still sitting in with Barber on Mondays this month, as per the Tribune article I mentioned a week or so ago, although I know he won't be next week. More on that later.

7.21   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
We learned last week that I apparently can sing "Misunderstanding" from Genesis in its proper key. What will we learn this week? You've got to show up to find out!

Incubus with The Duke Spirit (Charter One Pavilion)
At this point, I think these guys are the most inoffensive hard rock band in existence. I saw them play here a year or two ago, and they just seemed too nice. I wanted them to break something. I'm pretty sure their latest recording is a greatest hits compilation, which may or may not have new tunes.

M13 (Quenchers Saloon)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
This is starting to look like list.in.to.chris.siebold, but hey, he mentions gigs a lot on Facebook. The second of three mentions is with a big band at a slightly out-of-the-way bar on Fullerton and Western that actually brings in some good music.

Billy Joel and Elton John (Wrigley Field)
The only thing I wonder about with this show is if they'll switch the order from the one last week, and play an Elton John song last.

7.22   wednesday
Diver (Fado Irish Pub)   SEE COZ LIVE!
I think this is another one of those "Pour Your Own Pint" Guinness promotional nights, like the one we did last year at Irish Oak, but I'm not totally sure. It's definitely a Guinness thing. We should start the same time as usual (10pm), but won't play quite as long, in deference to those of you staying out on a school night.

Adrian Belew with Wes Cichosz and Chris Siebold (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
When I saw him a couple of months back at the Old Town School, I was a little surprised that Belew didn't take his "power trio" to what has been like a second home for him in Chicago on non-King Crimson gigs, but it looks like he's remedied this on the return leg. Wes had told me that we'd be seeing the e-mics again, so I have a hunch that might be what he's got in store with Siebold (for the trifecta!). There's always a chance they might try something slightly stranger given the headliner, though.

7.23   thursday
Soulfix with The Flabby Hoffman Trio, Paper Thick Walls (Bottom Lounge)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Mitch, Dario and Marlon can almost walk to this one from the rehearsal space I share with the band, but the road is kinda uneven, so even if you had a wheeled cart or something, it would be a pain.

Helicopters with Lymbyc System, Chris Bathgate (Schubas)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Or, if you want to see someone I know, but tend more toward the electronic pop than the hard rock, I've got you covered there, too. I, on the other hand, am a lousy friend and will be going to Soldier Field to watch international soccer.

7.24   friday
The Dials with The Wanton Looks, Sleepovers, Tyler Jon Tyler (Double Door)
As far as mostly-female local rock acts go, I'm not sure if I like The Dials quite as much as I used to like Starball back in the day, but they do offer a slightly similar brand of uptempo, energetic, hooky rock tunes.

Garaj Majal (Green Mill)
While Fareed Haque plays the Uptown venue a lot with other groups, I don't know that I've seen him there with the jam band. It seems like an odd fit, unless they've gone "native" and are playing things a bit jazzier. Of course, all it would really take to do that would be a different drummer, at least based on the one time I saw them years ago.

Big Science with Grand Duchy (Subterranean)
No, I still haven't done anything with the EP I picked up from this presumably Cure-influenced band on New Year's Eve. I think I'm trying to repress the memories of that night, because some of the music notwithstanding, it wasn't a terribly good time.

Susan Voelz with Rebecca Ryan (Morseland)
I was just talking to a friend who lives in Rogers Park about this club, as I have many fond memories from way the hell back in the Oncle Julien days. Violinist Voelz is probably one of the bigger names I've seen listed there in quite some time.

Demi Lovato with David Archuleta (Allstate Arena)
I only just saw this name for the first time this morning, which means I'm very good at avoiding Disney-backed artists aimed at tweens, much in the same way I'm very good at avoiding advertisements for romantic comedies.

Ratt with Extreme, Swirl (House of Blues)
We seem to be flush with 80s hair metal bands this month, don't we?

7.25   saturday
Diver (Fado Irish Pub)   SEE COZ LIVE
It's getting to where we're almost becoming the default house band at the River North Irish pub. This one is almost certainly going to be an acoustic affair, although there's a slim chance I may try to change that so my visiting sister-in-law can get the full Diver experience.

Coldplay with Elbow (Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, WI)
I don't usually list shows out at the sheds, let alone shows that aren't even in Illinois, but this is as close as the band responsible for my favorite record of last year -- Elbow's The Seldom Seen Kid -- is coming to Chicago.

Jamie Lidell with Tortured Soul (Congress Theater)
The British singer is known for the part of the show where he shoos the band off the stage and starts manipulating his voice with loops and effects. I caught some of a set at Lollapalooza whenever he was there, and it was interesting to hear, if somewhat boring to watch. But I'm a sucker for that sort of thing.

7.26   sunday
The Thin Man with The Button Pushers, Laura Olsen (Bottom Lounge)
I mention this only because I saw an ad for it on Facebook, along with ads about soccer and market research. They seem to have me dead to rights over there.